Sheet feeding and registering mechanism



May 12, 1953 H. J. LuEHRs SHEET FEEDING AND `macns'manum: umol-mmm Filed April 4, 1951 6 Sheets-Shea?. 1

ful lllllllll H. J. LuEHRs l 2,638,342 s'Hx-:E'r FEEDING AND REGISTERING m-:cI-LANISM May 12, 1953 6 sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1951 INVENTOR.

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My 12 1953 H. Lula-nasL 2,638,342

SHEET FEEDING AND REGIsrERING uEcHANrsu 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Enea April 4. 1951l May 12, 1953 H. J. LUEHRS 2,638,342

A SHEET FEEDING AND mszGIs'rERmc.v uEcHANIsM 'Filed April 4. 1951 6 sheets-smet 4 IN VEN TOR.

. BY WW Lw; M

May 12, 1953 H. J. LuEHRs smc'r FEEDING mn REGISTERING uEcHANrsu s sheets-snaai 5 Enea Aprilv 4. 1951 1N VEN TOR.

my BY H. J. LUEHRS SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM May/' 12, 1953 s snets-sheet e Filed April 4,. 1951 INVENTOR.

Patented May 12, 1953 SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM Hans J. Luehrs, Westerly, R. I., assignor to C. B. Cottrell & Sons Company, Westerly, It. I., a

corporation of Delaware Application April 4, 1951, Serial No. 219,198

1 This invention is directed toa novel sheet feeding and registering mechanism, especially applicable for use in connection with rotary printing presses, Wherein'the sheets may be front and side registered without delaying or stopping the sheets as they are being fed from their source of supply to theiry registered sheet receiving element.

One object of this invention is to provide a novel, simple and effective sheet feeding and registering mechanism, which includes a suitable registered sheet receiving element as, for instance, an impression cylinder of a rotary printing press; an endless carrier for feeding the sheets tothe said sheet receiving element; means being p-rovided for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier before they reach the sheetreceiving element; and means also: being' provided for yfront and side registering the temporarily released traveling sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier to be fed thereby to thev said sheet receiving element.

A further object is to provide a novel means whereby the sheet receiving element and the endless carrier may be driven at substantiallythe same surface speed and the sheet front and side registering means may be driven at a higher surfacer speed.

A further object is to provide a minimum number of coacting sheet forwarding devices driven at different surface speeds for positively feeding the sheets as rapidly as possible from the source of sheet supply to the sheet receivingv element and feeding the sheets to the said element at the surface speed thereof.

A further object is to eliminate from the sheet feeding and registering mechanism all reciprocating and intermittent movements so that the feeding rate of the registered sheets to the sheet receiving element maybe materiallly increased without subjecting either the feeding and registering mechanism or the sheets to excessive strains.

This invention includes a sheet registering means which comprises a row of -angularly positioned sheet support rollers for imparting a com- :bined forward and lateral additional movement to the temporarily released traveling sheets to front and side register the sheets without delaying or stopping the sheets/in their travel to the sheet receiving element.

This invention also includes first and second pairs of coacting friction-rollers for feedingvthe sheets positively to the endless carrier; the second pairs of coacting friction rollers being ad- 26 Claims. (Cl. 271-48) justable toward and away from the endless carrier to feed sheets of different lengths thereto.

This invention also includes upper and lower coacting sheet combing beltsl for guiding the sheets from the friction rollers to the endless carrier.

This invention also includes pairs of pinch rollers for positively feeding successive sheets to the friction rollers, said sheets being fed from the source of sheet supply tothe pinch rollers by any well known or approved means.

This invention also includes means for driving the sheet receiving cylinder, the endless carrier and the pairs of friction rollers at substantially the same surface speed, the pinch rollers at a slower surface speed, and the angularly positioned sheet registering rollers and the combing belts at higher surface speeds than the sheet receiving cylinder.

A practical embodiment of this invention is represented in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 represents, in diagram, Ia side elevation of a sheet fed multi-color rotary printing press, which includes the sheet feeding and registering vmechanism which forms the subject matter of this invention.`

Fig. 2 represents, on an enlarged scale, a longitudinal central section through the sheet feeding endless carrier, the sheet registering means and a portion of the impression cylinder of the printing press.

Fig. 3 represents a detail top plan view of a portion rof the sheet registering means.

Fig. 4 represents a detail vertical cross-seotion thro-ugh the sheet registering means on line IV-IV of Fig. 3, with the friction belt supporting rollers omitted.

.Fig 4a represents a detail vertical cross-section through the sheet registering means on line IVa-IVa of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents a detail longitudinal vertical section on line V--V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 represents a detail side view of one of the endless carrier sheet grippers and the front registering device carried by the gripper crossbar.`

Fig. 7 represents a detail front view of the same.

Fig. 8 represents a detail side view of the manually operated means for adjusting the second pairs of sheet feeding friction rollers.

Fig. 9 represents a longitudinal vertical section showing the sheet feeding pinch rollers, the pairs of friction rollers, the sheet combing belts 3 and the adjusting means for the second pairs of friction rollers.

Fig. 9a represents a similar section showing the belt pulleys which are located adjacent the sheet receiving end of the endless chain carrier.

Fig. 10 represents a vertical cross-section at line X--X of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 represents a detail plan View of the friction rollers, the combing belts and the adjusting means for the second pairs of friction rollers.

Fig. 12 represents a detail vertical section showing portions of the drives for the printing unit, the sheet feeding and registering mechanism and the delivery mechanism.y

Fig. 13 represents a detail vertical section showing the drive for the combing belts, and the drive and operating means for the pinch rollers.

Fig. 14 represents a detail vertical section on line XIV-XIV of Fig. 13.

Aprihting press frame I may be of any desired forin and construction suitable for mounting the various mechanisms to be hereinafter described.

The multi-color printing unit is herein shown as ineluding the impression cylinder 2, provided with one or more sets of grippers 3,; and the form cylinders 4 which are arranged around the impression cylindei `2. nking mechanisms are shown for the various form cylinders. The impression cylinder may be driven at a selected surface speed.

The delivery mechanism, which forms no `part of the present invention, may be of any well or approved construction. It is shown herein as including an endless carrier 6 for receiving the printed sheets from the impression Cylinder 2 and conveying them to a sheet delivery point, as a pile 1.

The sheet feeding and registering mechanism i`s shown as including the following elements: The source of sheet supply is herein shown as a pile 8. A device '9 is provided for feeding successive sheets from the pile 8, which device may be of any well `known or approved construction.

Pairs of upper and lower coasting pinch rouers I0 and II are mounted on cross shafts I0* and Ilf, which rollerslare driven at a considerably lower surface speed than the impression cylinder 2, enact to take the sheets from the device 9 and feed them to nrst and second pairs of upper and lower friction rollers I2, I3 and I4, I5 mounted on :cross shafts I2*, I3* and I4", I5*; which friction rollers are driven at substantially the same surface speed as the impression cylinder 2.

An endless chain carrier IS is positioned 'to take the sheets fed :from the pairs of friction rollers, Which endless carrier is driven at substantially the surface speed of the impression cylinder 2 and friction rollers. This endless carrier I6 is provided with spaced sets of head grippers I'I carried by cross-bars I8 vmounted on the side chains of the endless carrier I6. 'These side chains pass around sprocket lwheels I9 at Vthe sheet receiving end of .the endless carrier I6 and also around sprocket wheels 2U at the Vsheet transfer end of the endless carrier adjacent the impression cylinder 2.

A Xed cam 2I serves to open the endless carrier grippers Il when they arrive at the sheet receiving end lof the endless carrier I6 in position to take the sheets fed thereto by the pairs of friction rollers I2, I3 and I4, I5. Another fixed camu22 serves to open `the endless `carrier grippers Il When they arrive at the sheet trans-'- fer end of the endless carrier in position to be transferred to the impression cylinder grippers 3. A fixed cam 23 serves to open the impression cylinder grippers 3 in time to take the registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers I'I; which cam 23 also opens'the impression cylinder grippers 3 in time to transfer the printed sheets to' the endless carrier Ii of the printed sheet delivery mechanism.

The endless carrier It is shown as having a short upwardly inclined portion at the sheet receiving end and a long horizontal portion leading from the inclined portion to the sheet transfer end of the endless carrier.

The means for front and side registering the sheets before they reach the impression cylinder 2 is shown as including the following elements: Front ysheet register devices 2d are carried by the gripper cross-bars I8 on the endless carrier I5. A side sheet register device 2e (in the present instance a iiat bar) is mounted on a supporting bracket 26 on one side of the frame I.

AA fixed cam 2.1 is positioned to open the endless carrier grppers IT for temporarily releasing the traveling sheets 'to permit them to be front and side registered before they .are .again taken by the endless carrier grippers Il' and transferred thereby to the impression cylinder grippers 3. A row of angularly positioned rollers 28 is mounted on the supporting brackets 26' located along both sides of the frame I, beneath thehorzontal portion of the endless carrier I 6. These rollers 28 serve to support the traveling sheets while they are temporarily released from the endless carrie'r grippers Il. These angularly positioned rollers are driven at a higher surface speed than the impression cylinder 2 and endless carrier It so as to impart a combined forward and lateral additional movement to the temporarily released sheets to bring them into proper front and side register by contact with said front and side registering devices 24, 25.

After the traveling sheets have been registered, the endless carrier grippers I7 are again closed to grasp the leading ends of the sheets and advance them to the position where they are transferred `by the endless carrier grippers Il' to the impression cylinder grippers 3.

` To guide and support the traveling sheets, as they pass from the pinch rollers III and II through the pairs of friction rollers I2, I 3 and I4, I5, to the endless carrier I5, there are provided upper and lower sheet combing belts 29 and 30, which belts are driven at a slightly higher surface speed than the said friction rollers, endless carrier and impression cylinder; to keep the sheets from wrinkling or buckling, especially as they are being forwarded by `the second pairs of friction Vrollers I4, IE to the endless .carrier grippers I'I. The upper combing belts 29 lead to the sheet receivingend of the endless carrier andthe lower combing belts 3i) lead along the underside of the sheet receiving end of the endless carrier to the sheet registering mechanism.

.To permit the feeding of sheets of `different lengths, the -oross shafts I4* and I5* of the second pairs of friction rollers I4, I5 are mounted in said brackets 3| which may be vadjusted along the racks 32 'on the frame Iby providing the brackets with pinions 33 meshing with said racks 32. These pinions 33 are carried by a cross shaft 34vprovided with a suitable operating hand wheel 35 and its lock lever 35*.

The means shown for driving the impression cylinder includes a vmotor 3S provided Witha pulis provided with ley 31 operatively connected by a belt 38 to a pulley 39 onf a cross shaft 49. This shaft 49 is provided with a pinion 4| which drives a gear 42 on the impression cylinder shaft 43. This gear 42 drives the form cylinder gears 44 which lin turn drive the inking mechanism gears 45, 46.

The impression cylinder gear 42 also drives the sheet delivery endless carrier 6 through the gear 41 on the cross shaft 48. This gear 42 also drives the sheet feeding endless chain carrier I6 through the gear 49 on the sprocket cross shaft 59, which mounts the endless chain sprocket Wheels 29 at the sheet transfer end of the endless carrier.

The sheet registering angularly positioned rollers 28 are shown as being driven at a higher surface speed than the endless carrier and the impression cylinder, from a separate motor I provided with a pulley 52 ,which is operatively connected by a belt 53 to a pulley 54 on a cross shaft 55. This cross shaft 55 is provided with a second pulley 56 which is operatively connected by a belt 51 to another pulley 58 mounted on a stud shaft 59 carried by a hanger 69 fastened to the adjacent bracket 26 by a bolt 6I. This belt v51 is maintained in frictional contact with the undersides of the rollers 28 by a plurality of rollers 62 mounted .on stud shafts 63 carried by hangers 64 fastened to the said bracket 26. The angularly positioned rollers 28 are mounted along each side of the frame I in bearings 65 secured on the longitudinally disposed brackets 26 by bolts 66.=

An 'angle bar 61 extends along one of the brackets 26. Clamps `68 are secured at suitable intervals along the angle bar 61, which clamps adjustably position the cross rods 69 which carry the side register bar 25. The lower edge of this bar 25 Ais provided with curved recesses 19 for receiving the upper sides of the sheet registering rollers 28 for preventing the sheets which are being registered from sliding under the said bar.

The drive 'for the pairs of upper and lower friction rollers I2, I3 and I4, I5 for feedingthe sheets to the sheet feeding endless chain carrier I6 at substantially the surface speed thereof, is shown as including the following elements: The cross shaft 1I, which carries the sprocket wheels 'I9 at the sheet receiving rend of the endless chain carrier I6, is shown as provided with a spur gear 12 which drives spur gear 13 on the cross shaft 14, Awhich cross shaft is provided with a vbevel gear 15 for driving the bevel gear 16 carried by a longitudinally disposed shaft 11. This shaft 11 another bevel gear 18 which drives the bevel gear 19 on a cross shaft 89. This cross shaft 80 is provided with a sprocket wheel 8| operatively connected by a chain 82 to a sprocket wheel 83 on the cross shaft I2*. This cross shaft |2*.carries the upper friction rollers I2.

Pulleys 84 on the cross shaft I2* are operatively connected by belts 85 with pulleys 86 on a cross shaft 81 located adjacent the sheet receiving end of the endless chain carrier I6. These belts 85 frictionally contact the upper sides of pulleys 88 on the cross shaft I4* mounted by hangers 89 on the shaft 34. These belts 85 also pass in contact with the undersides of the take-up pulleys 99 mounted in arms 9| projecting from the adjustable brackets 3| so that the said brackets may be Iadjusted a short distance toward and away from the endless chain carrier I6 without unduly loosening the belts 85. v

The cross shaft 89 is also provided with a sprocket wheel 92 operatively connected by a chain 93 to a sprocket wheel 94 on a cross shaft 95 which carries the pulleys 96 for the upper sheet combing belts 29. These belts 29 also pass around pulleys 91 on the said cross shaft 81.

The lower combing belts 39 operatively connect pulleys 98 on a cross shaft 99 adjacent the pinch rollers I9, II with pulleys |99 on a cross shaft I9| adjacent the sheet registering rollers 28. 'I'he cross shaft 99 is provided with a gear |92 which drives a gear |93 on the cross shaft 99 which carries the pulleys 98 of the lower combing belts 39.

The shaft II* of the lower pinch rollers II is driven from the cross shaft 99 by a chain |94 which operatively connects a sprocket Wheel |95 on the shaft 99 with a sprocket wheel |96 on the shaft I I of the said lower pinch rollers.

The shaft I9* of the upper pinch rollers I9 is mounted in rock arms |91 fast to across shaft |99. These upper pinch rollers I 9 may be raised and lowered by providing the shaft I9* with a vertical rod |99, the lower end of which rod is provided with a stud or roller I I9 located in the groove of a box cam I I I mounted on a shaft I I2, which shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel I I3 operatively connected by a chain |I4 to a sprocket Wheel I I5 on the shaft 11.

What I claim is:

l. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet' receiving element provided with one or more sets of grippers, an endless carrier provided with spaced sets of grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving element, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier grippers, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to the sheet receiving element grippers.`

2. In a sheet receiving and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder provided with one or more sets of grippers, an endless carrier provided with spaced sets of grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the impression cylinder, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from said endless carrier grippers, means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are agai'n taken by the endless carrier grippers, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to the impression cylinder grippers.

3. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving element provided with one or more sets of grippers, an endless carrier provided with spaced sets of grippers operable to take the sheets and feedthem to the sheet receiving element, means for temporarily releasing the sheets'frorn said endless carrier grippers, front and side sheet registering devices, and a row of angularly positioned rollers cooperating therewith for front and side registering the temporarily released traveling sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier grippers, and means for transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to the sheet receiving element grippers.

4. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing presses, an impression cylinder provided with one or more sets Iof grippers, an endless carrier provided with spaced sets of grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the impression cylinder, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endh less .carrier grippers, front .and side sheet registering devices, and a row of angularly positioned rollers cooperating therewith for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets .before lthey are :again taken by the. endless carrier grppers, and means for thereafter .transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to the impression cylinder grippers.

in a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a frame, Aasheet receiving element pro vided :with one or more sets of grippers, an end less carrier provided with spaced sets of grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the .sheet receiving element, front and side sheet registering devices on the endless carrier and the frame respectively, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier gripper-s, means for imparting a combined forward and .lateral additional movement to the temporarily released sheets to bring them into register with the said. front and side registering devices before the sheets are again taken by the endless carrier ,grippers, and means thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier grippers to the sheet receiving element grippers.

6. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanisrn, a frame, a sheet receiving element, an endless carrier provided with means operable to take the sheets and feed them 'to the sheet receiving element, front and side sheet registering devices on the .endless carrier and the frame re spectively, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, a row oi' angularly. positioned rollers `for imparting a combined forward and lateral additional movement to the temporarily released sheets to bring them into register with the said front and side registering devices before the sheets are again taken by the endless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier to the sheet receiving element.

7. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a frame, a sheet receiving element provided with one or more sets of grippers, an endless carrier provided with spaced sets of grppers op erable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving element, front and side sheet registering devices on the endless carrier and the frame respectively, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, a row of angularly positioned rollers for imparting a comb-ined forward and lateral additional movement to the temporarily released sheets to bring them into register with the said fro-nt and side registering devices before the sheets are again taken by the endless carrier grippers, and vmeans for thereafter transt ferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier g'rippers to the sheet receiving element grippers.

8. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for rotary printing' presses, a frame, an

'impression cylinder, an endless carrier provided with means operable to take the sheets and feed them to the impression cylinder, front and side sheet registering devices on the endless carrier and the frame respectively, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from. 'the endless carrier, a row of angularly positioned rollers for imparting a combined forward and lateral additional movement to the temporarily released sheets to bring them into register with the said front and. side registering devices before the sheets yare again taken by the vendless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from. the endless 'carrier to the iinpression cylinder.

9. In a sheet feeding andregistering mecha nism for rotary printing presses, a frame, an impression cylinder provided with one or more sets of .grippers, an endless carrier provided with spaced sets of Igrippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the impression cylinder grippers, front and side sheet registering devices on the end-less carrier land the frame respectively, means for temporarily releasing,r the sheets from the endless carrier grippers, a row of angularly positioned rollers for imparting 4a combined for- Ward and lateral additional l1novei-nerit to the temporarily released sheets to bring them into register with the said front and side registering devices before the sheets are again `taken by the endless 'carrier grippers, and means for thereafter transferring the sheets from the endless carrier grippers to the impression cylinder grippers.

l0. In a sheet feeding and registering mecha.- nism, a frame, a sheet receiving element, an endless carrier provided with grippersoperable to take the sheets and feed them to the receiving element, front and side vsheet register devices on the endless carrier .and frame respectively, means forV temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, a row'of angularly positioned sheet supporting rollers for imparting a combined forward and lateral additional movement to the temporarily released traveling sheets to bring them into register with said front and side register devices before the sheets are again taken by the endless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the said endless carrier to the said sheet .receiving elen nient, the sheet receiving element and the endless carrier being driven at substantially the same surface speed and the sheet registering rollers being driven at a higher surface speed.

l1. In a sheet feeding and registering mecha nisrn .for rotary printing presses, a frame, an impression cylinder, an. endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the impression cylinder, front and side sheet register devices on the endless carrier and the frame respectively, means for tempo rarily releasing the sheets from the endless card rier, a row of singularly positioned sheet supporting rollers for imparting a combined forward and lateral additional movement to the tempo-- rarily released sheets to bring them into register with said front and side register devices before the sheets are again taken by the endless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the regis tered sheets from the said endless carrier to the said impression cylinder, the impression cy1inder and the endless carrier being driven at Sub stantially the same` surface speed. and the sheet registering rollers being driven at a higher si1rface speed.

12. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to taire the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, ooacting frio-tion rollers for feeding sheets to the endless carrier, means for tempo rarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier to the sheet receiving cylinder. y 13. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, -rst and second pairs of enacting fricnism, a sheet receivinr. cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, coasting friction rollers for feeding sheets to the endless carrier, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier to the sheet receiving cylinder, the sheet receiving cylinder, the endless carrier and the friction rollers all being driven at substantially the same surface speed and the sheet registering means being driven at a higher surface speed. s 15. In a sheet feeding land registering mechacarrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets ,and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, first and second pairs of coacting friction rollers for feeding sheets to the endless.v

carrier, the second pairs of friction rollers being adjustable toward and away from the endless carrier for feeding sheets of different lengths thereto, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier.

tothe sheet receiving cylinder, the sheet receiving cylinder, the endless' carrier and the friction rollers all being driven at substantially the same surface speed and the sheet registering means being driven at a higher surface speed.

16. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, pairs of coacting friction rollers for feeding sheets to the endless carrier, upper and lower sheet combing belts coacting to guide the sheets to the endless carrier, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier, and means for thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier to the sheet receiving cylinder.

1'7. In a sheet feeding and registering mechay nism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, coacting friction rollers for feeding sheets to the nism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an `endless ydriven at substantially endless carrier, upper and lower sheet combing belts coacting to guide the sheets to the endless carrier, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they yare again taken by the endless carrier, and means Vfor thereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier to the sheet receiving cylinder, the sheet receiving cylinder, the endless carrier and the friction rollers all being driven at substantially the same surface speed, the combing belts being driven at a slightly higher surface speed, and the sheet registering means being driven at a higher surface speed than the sheet receiving cylinder, endless carrier and friction rollers.

18. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, first and second pairs of coacting friction rollers for feeding sheets to the endless carrier, upper and lower sheet-combing belts coacting to guide the sheets to the endless carrier, the second pairs of friction rollers being adjustable toward and away from the endless carrier for feeding sheets of different lengths 19. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless' carrier provided with grippers operable to 'take' the sheets-and feed them to the-sheet receivingv second pairs of coact'ing friction rollers for feeding sheets to the endless;

cylinder, first and carrier, upper and lower sheet combing belts coacting to guide the sheets to thev endless carrier,`

the second pairs of yfriction rollers being adjustable toward and away from the endless carrier for feeding sheets of different lengths thereto, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, means forfront and side registering 4the ytemporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier, and,r

means for Vthereafter transferring the registered sheets from the endless carrier to the sheet receiving cylinder, the sheet `receiving cylinder, the endless carrier and the friction rollers all being means being driven at a higher surface speed than the sheet receiving cylinder, endless carrier and friction rollers.

20. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, `a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, rst and second pairs of coacting friction rollers for feeding sheets to the endless carrier, upper and lower sheet combing belts coacting to guide the sheets to the endless carrier, pairs of coacting pinch rollers for feeding sheets from a sheet supply source to said pairs of friction rollers, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, and means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier.

the same surface speed the' 'combing 'belts' being driven at a slightlyl higher surface speed, and the sheet registering i lv .21. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving. cylinder, an endless carrier provided withV grippers operable to take the sheets and feed them to the sheet receiving cylinder, rst and second pairs of coasting friction rollers for feeding. sheets to the endless carrier, upper and lower sheet combingbelts coacting to guide the sheets tothe endless carrier, pairsof coacting pinch rollers for feeding sheets from a sheet supply source to said pairs of friction rollers, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, and means for front and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier, the sheet receiving cylinder, the endless carrier andthe friction rollers-al1 being driven at substantially the same surfacespeed, the combing belts at a slightly higher surface speed and the pinch rollers at a lower surface speedfthan the sheet receiving cylinder, the endless carrier and frictionzrollers.

22. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless carrier provided with grippers operable to take the sheets andv feedthem to. the sheet receiving cylinder, first and second pairs of coacting friction rollers for. feeding sheets tothe endless carrier, upper and lower sheet'cornbing belts coacting to guide the sheets to the endless carrier, pairs of coacting pinch rollers for feeding sheets from a sheet supply source to said pairs-of fric tion rollers, means for temporarily'releasing the sheets from the endless carrier, and means. for: frontv and side registering the temporarily released sheets before they are, again taken by` the-endlesscarrier, the sheet receiving.. cylinder, the endless carrier andthe friction,v rollers all being driven at substantially the sameV surface speed, the combing belts at a. slightly higher surface speed, the pinch rollers at a lower surface speedthanthe sheet receiving cylinder, the end-` less. carrier and friction rollers,y and the sheet. registering means being driven at a higher surface'speed-than'thesaid sheet receiving cylinder,A endless carrier andfriction rollers.

23. In a sheet feeding and registering mech` anism,. a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless chain carrier provided with spaced sets of` grip-r pers operableto take sheets fed thereto and to.

transfer the sheets, after they have been registered, to the said cylinder, means for temporarily releasing the sheetsfrornthe-endlesscarrier. grippers before they reach the sheet receiv ing cylinder, and means for front andsideregistering the temporarily released. traveling sheets beforethey are again taken by the endless carrier. grippers.v

24'. In asheet feedingand registering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless chain. carrier provided with spaced sets of grippers operable to taire sheets fed thereto and to transfer the sheets, after they have been registered, to said cylinder, means for temporarily releasing the sheetsl from the endless carrier grippers before they. reach the sheet receiving,r cylinder, and means for imparting a combined forward and lateral additional movement to the temporarily released traveling sheets to register them before they are again taken by the endless carrier grippers.

25.,In` a sheet feeding and registering mechanism, a frame, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless chain carrier provided with spaced sets of grippers operable to take sheets fed thereto and to transfer thev sheets. after they have been registered, to said cylinder, means for temporarily releasing the sheets from the endless carrier before they reach the sheet receiving cylinder, front and side register devices on the endless carrier and frame. respectively, and means for. imparting., a combined forward and lateral additionalmovement to the temporarily released traveling sheets to bring theminto register with said front and side register devices, before the sheets are again tet-lien by the endless carrier grippers.

26. In aisne-et feeding andregistering mechanism, a sheet receiving cylinder, an endless chain-carrier provided with spaced sets 4of grippers operable tc take sheets fed thereto and to transfer the sheets, after they have been registered, to said cylinder, means for. temporarily releasing the sheets. from the endless carrier grippers before they reach the sheety receiving.

cylinder, means for front and side registering the temporarily releasedv traveling sheets before they are again taken by the endless carrier grippers, means for driving the sheet receiving cylinder and the endless carrier at substantially the same surface speeds, and a separate means for driving the sheet registering means at a higher surface speed.

HANS J; LUEHRS.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number' Name Date 1,406,978 Cottrell Feb. 21, 1922 2,231,914 Huck: Feb. 18, 1941 2,4@061006 Eckhard Aug. 20, 1946 

